f,4 USKS OF PLANTS BY INDIANS [eth, asn. S3 



tin- ti|)i poles to ward off lightning, "as white men put up lightning 

 rods." my infoiiimnt sjiid. 



In the veur 184!»-.JU Asiatic cholera was epidemic among the Teton 

 Dakota. Tiie (Jglala were encamped at that time where Pine Ridge 

 Agency now is. Many of the ])eoi)le died and others scattered in a 

 panic. Red Cloud, then a young man, tried various treatments, 

 tinally a decoction of cedar leaves. This was drunk and was used 

 ul.so for bathing, and is said to have proved a cure. 



The Omaha-Ponca name for the cedar is maazi. Cedar twigs 

 were used on the hot stones in the vapor batli, especially in purifica- 

 tory rites. J. Owen Dorsey ' says, " In the Osage traditions, cedar 

 .symbolizes the tree of life." Francis La Flesche ^ says: 



Ati iincient cedar pole was also in the keeping of the 'We'zlii'"shte gens, 

 mill WHS luiiKe*! In the Tent of War. This venerahle ol).jett was once the 

 ivhtral lltrure in rites tliat have heen lost. In creation myths tlie cedar is 

 ii.HsoclattHi Willi the advent of tiie hninan race; other myths connect this tree 

 with the thunder. The thunder hirds were said to live "in a forest of 

 cellars ..." There is a tradition that in olden times, in the spring after 

 the tlrst thunder had sounded, in the ceremony which then took place this 

 <_'e«lar I'ole was painted anil anointed at the great tribal festival held while 

 on tiie hufTalo hunt. 



As a remedy for nervousness and bad dreams the Pawnee used 

 the smoke treatment, burning cedar twigs for the purpose. 



Tvi'HACEAE 



TvriiA LATTFOLTA L. Cat-tail. (PI. 1, 6.) 



V\'ihuta-hii (Dakota) : w'llmUu "the bottcmi of a tipi " (hu, plant- 

 body, herb, shrub, or tree; in a Dakota plant name hu signifies 

 " plant," as does hi in the Omaha language). 

 WaJuilj' 'njniskonthe (Onuiha-Ponca) ; wahaha, corn; igaskoiithe, 

 similar, referring to the appearance of the floral spikes syn- 

 chronously with the maturing of the corn. 

 h'sho-hl" (Winnebago) ; k.s/io, prairie cliicken, hi", feather. The 

 plucked down resembles in color and texture the finer feathers 

 of the prairie chicken, 

 Hawnhava (Pawnee). 



Kirit-tach-ai-ush (Pawnee), "eye itch" {kirit, eye; fochanish, 

 itch) ; so named because the flying down causes itching of the 

 eyes if it gets into them. 

 The down was used to make dressings for burns and scalds; on 

 infants, to prevent chafing, as we use talciun; and as a filling for 

 pillows and padding for cradle boards and in quilting baby wrap- 

 pings. Pieces of the stem were essential elements in making the 



' SlouaD Culls, p. ;;!)1. " 



• Fletcher ouj La Flesclie. The Omaha Tribe, pp. 457—1.58. 



